On occasion, Ted Tocks Covers runs into a series of challenges while writing, and today’s feature is a perfect example. Through a random flow of in-home mishaps, the original draft of ‘Waterloo Sunset’ was not saved. I discovered this early in the morning when I sat down to put the finishing touches on what I thought was a nice stroll through five and half decades of a classic song by The Kinks.
Bad news: I had to start all over
Good news: I got to listen to everything all over again.
Here is ‘Waterloo Sunset’ by The Kinks – Take 2.
This beautiful Ray Davies composition was released on this day in 1967 as an advance single for what would become ‘Something Else by the Kinks’.
Fans of The Kinks would debate for hours if the question arose asking them to rank the group’s countless run of hits through the years. From this chair, I will declare ‘Waterloo Sunset’ #1 in terms of its cross-genre accessibility. In Great Britain, it is considered somewhat of a cultural anthem. ‘Waterloo Sunset’ has been called “the most beautiful song in the English language” by music critic Robert Christgau and one of Ray Davies’ closest peers in the music industry, Pete Townshend of The Who, referred to the song as “divine” and “a masterpiece”.
In The Kinks library, ‘Waterloo Sunset’ is quite significant because it marks a new chapter for the band. It was the first Kinks song produced exclusively by Ray Davies, without the assistance of trusted producer, Shel Talmy whose contract had expired a short time before the group took to the studio to record. Here is Talmy’s appraisal of Ray Davies.
Ray was one of the more prolific writers I’ve ever known. It seemed like he would write a dozen songs overnight, then he’d come and play them for me, and I’d choose the ones I thought were great. In the time that I worked with him, the four that stood out as sure-fire number-one singles were You Really Got Me, Tired Of Waiting For You, Sunny Afternoon and Waterloo Sunset.”
Ray Davies was the driving force behind ‘Waterloo Sunset’ and the end result shows the fruits of ten hours of labour. Here is Dave Davies reflecting on the work the group put into the track.
We spent a lot of time trying to get a different guitar sound, to get a more unique feel for the record. In the end we used a tape-delay echo, but it sounded new because nobody had done it since the 1950s. I remember Steve Marriott of the Small Faces came up and asked me how we’d got that sound. We were almost trendy for a while.”
The allusion to being trendy is important for a couple of reasons. A quick check of the rock and roll timeline will note that ‘Waterloo Sunset’ preceded The Beatles ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ by approximately four weeks, and to many, that album set a new standard for studio creativity and critical acclaim. The connection to The Beatles is important when discussing ‘Waterloo Sunset’ because the working title for the song was actually ‘Liverpool Sunset’. The melody for the song had been floating around Ray Davies fertile mind since the earliest days of The Kinks, and the memories that inspired the piece stemmed back to fond thoughts of Liverpool.
Liverpool is my favourite city… …I was inspired by Merseybeat. I’d fallen in love with Liverpool by that point. On every tour, that was the best reception. We played The Cavern all those old places, and I couldn’t get enough of it. I had a load of mates in bands up there, and that sound – not the Beatles but Merseybeat – that was unbelievable. It used to inspire me every time. So, I wrote “Liverpool Sunset”. Later it got changed to “Waterloo Sunset”, but there’s still that play on words with Waterloo. London was home, I’d grown up there, but I like to think I could be an adopted Scouser. My heart is definitely there.”
Man, I love these British expressions. This passage sent me straight to the dictionary to find out the origin of the reference ‘Scouser’ and I learned the following.
People from Liverpool are known as Liverpudlians, but are usually called Scousers; the name comes from scouse, a stew originating from Scandinavian lobscouse, eaten by sailors and locals.”
Part of the reason the title was changed can be attributed to the fact that in early 1967, The Beatles had a hit singles with both ‘Penny Lane’ and ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’. These two songs paid homage to The Beatles Liverpool upbringing and since they were native ‘Liverpudlians’ Davies opted to let them be the voice of their hometown. Nevertheless, the essence of the song remained, and Davies turned his focus back to London.
Here, Davies’ thoughts on the piece continue.
Originally, I wanted to call it Liverpool Sunset. I loved Liverpool and Merseybeat. But you know what they say as advice for writers – write about what you know. I knew London better than I knew Liverpool. So, I changed it. Waterloo was a pivotal place in my life. And I saw several Waterloo sunsets. Later I used to go past the station when I went to art college on the train. And I met my first girlfriend, who became my first wife, along the Embankment at Waterloo.”
A couple of years after the melody for the song came to him, the concept germinated. In fact, Davies has suggested that it came to him in a dream.
I didn’t think to make it about Waterloo, initially, but I realised the place was so very significant in my life. I was in St. Thomas Hospital when I was really ill [when he had a tracheotomy aged 13] and the nurses would wheel me out on the balcony to look at the river. It was also about being taken down to the 1951 Festival of Britain. It’s about the two characters – and the aspirations of my sisters’ generation who grew up during the Second World War. It’s about the world I wanted them to have. That, and then walking by the Thames with my first wife and all the dreams that we had.”
Here are the lyrics that have come to mean so much to fans of The Kinks and British culture as a whole.
Dirty old river, must you keep rolling
Flowing into the night?
People so busy, make me feel dizzy
Taxi light shines so bright
But I don’t need no friends
As long as I gaze on Waterloo sunset
I am in paradise
(Sha-la-la)
Every day I look at the world from my window
(Sha-la-la)
But chilly, chilly is the evening time
Waterloo sunset’s fine (Waterloo sunset’s fine)
Terry meets Julie. Waterloo station
Every Friday night
But I am so lazy, don’t want to wander
I stay at home at night
But I don’t feel afraid
As long as I gaze on Waterloo sunset
I am in paradise
(Sha-la-la)
Every day I look at the world from my window
(Sha-la-la)
But chilly, chilly is the evening time
Waterloo sunset’s fine (Waterloo sunset’s fine)
Millions of people swarming like flies ’round
Waterloo underground
But Terry and Julie cross over the river
Where they feel safe and sound
And they don’t need no friends
As long as they gaze on Waterloo sunset
They are in paradise
Waterloo sunset’s fine”
Much like every artist begins each painting with the stroke of a brush across a blank canvas, Ray Davies needed some type of visual concept to help him form his prose. This is where Davies imagined two lovers passing over a bridge. While the couple became known forever as Terry and Julie, the Waterloo Bridge sat in the foreground and the beauty of the sunset punctuated the scene in all of its splendour. Back in 1967, Ray Davies helped listeners along with this summation.
If you look at the song as a kind of film, I suppose Terry would be Terence Stamp and Julie would be Julie Christie. “
Four decades later Davies exercised his right to revisit the inspiration for ‘Waterloo Sunset’ by suggesting it was an ode to his sister, Rosy. The same sister that inspired him to write ‘Come Dancing’.
With full credit to Ray Davies, sharing just one verse or chorus doesn’t do ‘Come Dancing’ justice, so here is the entire composition.
They put a parking lot on a piece of land
Where the supermarket used to stand
Before that they put up a bowling alley
On the site that used to be the local Palais
That’s where the big bands used to come and play
My sister went there on a Saturday
Come dancing
All her boyfriends used to come and call
Why not come dancing?
It’s only natural
Another Saturday, another date
She would be ready but she’s always make them wait
In the hallway in anticipation
He didn’t know the night would end up in frustration
He’d end up blowing all his wages for the week
All for a cuddle and a peck on the cheek
Come dancing
That’s how they did it when I was just a kid
And when they said come dancing
My sister always did
My sister should have come in at midnight
And my mum would always sit up and wait
It always ended up in a big row
When my sister used to get home late
Out of my window I can see them in the moonlight
Two silhouettes saying goodnight by the garden gate
The day they knocked down the Palais
My sister stood and cried
The day they knocked down the Palais
Part of my childhood died, just died
Now I’m grown up and playing in a band
And there’s a car park where the Palais used to stand
My sister’s married and she lives on an estate
Her daughters go out, now it’s her turn to wait
She knows they get away with things she never could
But if I asked her I wonder if she would
Come dancing
Come on, sister, have yourself a ball
Don’t be afraid to come dancing
It’s only natural
Come dancing
Just like the Palais on a Saturday
And all her friends will come dancing
Where the big bands used to play”
Back to ‘Waterloo Sunset’, success was rather immediate in the U.K., which gave rise to some interesting observations. One salient fact is that ‘Waterloo Sunset’ was not able to hit the pinnacle of the U.K. charts. This made me wonder what song prevented it from rising to #1. The answer is The Tremeloes, who hit #1 with their cover of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, ‘Silence is Golden’.
It seems somewhat odd to note that ‘Waterloo Sunset’ didn’t resonate with North American audiences, with all of its ex-pats, but it did do exceptionally well in many European countries as well as New Zealand, Australia and Rhodesia.
None of this success surprised Dave Davies. In his 1996 book, ‘Kink: An Autobiography’, he wrote;
I had a feeling it was going to be a hit. It had a wonderfully hypnotic descending bass line contrasting magically with rising vocal harmonies, gentle but stirring textures. Immediately, we started ad-libbing vocal parts around the chorus.”
Right there might be the hook that has made ‘Waterloo Sunset’ such a popular tradition. The sound of thousands singing along to the ‘Sha-la-la’ chorus harkens back to post-war pub standards. This is yet another fascination employed by Ray Davies on more than one occasion (See ‘Where Have All the Good Times Gone’)
Before we move on to the cover versions, let’s take a look at ‘Waterloo Sunset’ through the years.
First, here is The Kinks live in 1973 on the BBC program known as ‘London Songs’.
Next, we get another quality live version featuring Ray Davies with Damon Albarn of Blur. This mini set is fantastic. Albarn lends his guitar talent to an interesting set of Kinks songs.
Albarn is on record as saying that to him ‘Waterloo Sunset’ is;
… the most perfect song I could ever hope to write, with my sort of voice.”
Ray Davies responds in kind by offering a little blend of ‘All the People’ by Blur after ‘Waterloo Sunset’ fades out.
All the people
So many people
And they all go hand-in-hand
Hand-in-hand through their parklife
Know what I mean?”
In 2009, Ray Davies released an interesting album called ‘The Kinks Choral Collection’. Looking for a unique way to present some of his renowned library of music, Davies rearranges a set of songs with the assistance of the Crouch End Festival Chorus.
One year later, here is Ray Davies performing at the Glastonbury festival paying tribute to his old friend Pete Quaife who played bass and offered backing vocals on the original recording 43 years earlier. News had come down that Quaife died earlier that day.
This is a just a magical duet. Two song writing legends share the microphone. Enjoy Jackson Browne with Ray Davies on the 2010 album ‘See My Friends’ which features several of Davies’ friends, from Bruce Springsteen to Jon Bon Jovi and Metallica to Mumford & Sons.
Finally, enjoy this fun presentation by Ray Davies during the closing ceremonies of the 2012 London Olympics. Scroll ahead to about 30:00 where, as the closing strains of The Beatles ‘A Day in the Life’ are heard a gentleman rolls out in a taxi and sings ‘Waterloo Sunset’. The athletes all sing along jubilantly as Ray Davies leads them in a chorus of
(Sha-la-la)
Every day I look at the world from my window
(Sha-la-la)
But chilly, chilly is the evening time
Waterloo sunset’s fine (Waterloo sunset’s fine)”
A song for the generations, because that scene can play out over and over again.
Now let’s explore some quality cover versions. There are some big names here and true to the song’s popularity, many of the artists who have chosen to pay homage to The Kinks have ties to Great Britain.
As always, we will move chronologically, leading off with David Essex and his 1973 album, ‘Cover Shot’.
Nearly a quarter century later, this is a nice version delivered by Cathy Dennis. ’Waterloo Sunset’ was the second single on her 1996 album ‘Am I the Kinda Girl’. It struck a chord with U.K. audiences who helped send it to #11. The B-side was another Kinks song, Sunny Afternoon . As interesting as that is, please take note of the taxi driver in the video. Just a whole lotta fun.
In 2003, David Bowie released the tour edition of his album, ‘Reality’. As you listen, you can hear the love. It’s like he was on the bridge with Ray Davies when he wrote the song.
Admittedly, I am not a big Def Leppard fan, but this cover by Joe Elliott and his mates is really good. Elliott is one of music’s good guys. A great storyteller with a contagious enthusiasm. ‘Yeah’!
Yet another big name. Listen to Peter Gabriel who delivers the song in a very thoughtful way. This is from the special edition of his 2010 album, Scratch My Back’. Such a distinct voice.
Still in 2010, here is The Jam with a special 30th anniversary re-release of their album, ‘Sound Affects’. This is a demo that goes back thirty years previous but it still sounds fresh.
Back to the BBC we go to get this serene version of ‘Waterloo Sunset’ by Swedish folk duet, First Aid Kit. Whenever their name comes up in my search for cover versions, I am quick to share.
This cover by Ethan Hawke on the Soundtrack for the movie ‘Juliet, Naked’ is among the best of the covers shared. This version captures the vulnerability of the character in the movie, and that translates effectively to the narrative Ray Davies was aiming to portray back in 1967.
Before you make your way across the bridge and ride into the sunset, here is Colin Hay of Men at Work fame doing yet another fantastic cover. The love for The Kinks comes through in the liner notes of his album, ‘I Just Don’t Know What to Do with Myself’.
‘Waterloo Sunset’ is brilliance on so many levels. It stalks the boards of vaudeville halls of Britain; it talks of the exquisite beauty of home. It introduces us to Terry and Julie, two people who remain in our eternal consciousness. A sublime melody, one of the greatest guitar lines ever, a perfect pop song. Whenever I listen to it, or play it, it creates an ache in my heart, for family I loved and lost, and for a time forever unforgotten. It was nothing but joy to be able to record a version of one of the greatest songs ever written.”
Some more high praise. Well said, and for Ray Davies; richly deserved.
Note that Colin Hay offers a very similar vocal style to the man he is paying tribute to in this cover. What a great way to close.
Recently, I read an article where Ray Davies was discussing 55 years of ‘Waterloo Sunset’ and he boiled the memory down to one monumental interaction.
I remember a moment with Jimi Hendrix and I, when we were on ‘Top of the Pops’ together. We met in the corridor, and he said: ‘Man, I love your tune.’ And he played ‘Waterloo Sunset’, just hammering the notes with his left hand, with that wonderful Hendrix feel.”
Now there’s a cover version I would love to hear, but somehow it seems appropriate that, that moment remains between Jimi and Ray.
Here is the next best thing. Check out this MP3 recording of that show from late December, 1967.
It seems to me we have a lot of other good listening to enjoy, thanks be to Ray Davies and The Kinks.
Always time well spent.
Ted Tocks Covers 